I Can Be Your Hero
by Agrolass
Summary: The Final Battle had finally come. After months of preparation and years of waiting, the last stand for good against evil had arrived. And through the chaos and the trauma two souls bound to each other cling to sweeter memories of better times. For memori


**A/N's: Hey everyone. Here's a new one-shot from me. It's been years since I've done one of those so be kind. I probably got the whole thing wrong anyway. This is a songfic on the song Hero by Enrique Iglesias, a very cheesy song I know but it struck a chord with me while I was working and this story came into my head.  
It's a bit different than other songfics, in that the words of the song are used as dialogue by the characters or Ron mostly and generally only appear in the flashback scenes. I hope this eases the confusion somewhat and if you're still confused just let me know why and I'll change it.  
Also the story is split into two, past and present, the italics indicate the flashback, which is all one memory and other than that it should be really easy to grasp.  
That's all really.  
Oh and before I forget I recommend you get a playlist of songs for when you're reading this. I've discovered while listening to the song or similar ones you really get into the story more. I recommend anything by Snow Patrol, the song Hero, obviously, Eric Clapton Wonderful Tonight, DJ Sammy's candlelight version of Heaven, Peter Gabriel's I Grieve, Angel by Sarah McLachlan and I really could go on...  
I hope you enjoy this wee ficcie and as always please leave a review.  
Thank you,  
Agrolass**

I Can Be Your Hero

The whispering of the low hanging willow trees, their swishing in the light night-time breeze, was the only sound Hermione could hear on the still, misty night. The dewy wet grass tickled her forearms as she lay on the damp ground, her pounding heart beating at a high rate, drowning out all night-time noises, and giving the night an even eerier experience to it. She tensed up suddenly with the distant hooting of an owl hunting for food, this snapshot of normality shocking her. She couldn't remember when the last time was when she had felt like she was living a normal life. Even her current position, crouched behind a large boulder, wand in hand and prepared to battle to presumably her own death attested to this. She could barely remember what a normal life felt like. Voldemort and his Death Eaters had taken that away from her and everyone she knew a long time ago. Glancing over to her left, she saw her be-specled best friend couching down, his back against the hard, wet rock that made up the side of the ditch they were currently hiding in. His face was set in determined lines that visibly aged his features, giving him the look of a battle-weary soldier after a long and bloody war. It was hard to imagine this was just an eighteen year old boy, fresh out of Hogwarts, yet he was seen as the Wizarding World's last chance, last hope. He was their hero, their Chosen One, and how Hermione worried about him. He was too young and too scarred to have to carry the weight of their world on his shoulders, yet he did so willingly every day. She wished she could take the weight of his shoulders, help him with his pain and maybe even help him carry the weight he held, but it was his task alone. He was truly a hero.

A lone tear slowly crawled down her cold cheek at this thought and quickly wiped it away with a swipe of the palm of her hand, glad that the darkness of the night hid her sudden weakness. She instead turned to her right and saw the long form of her other best friend, the beautiful Ron Weasley. In the pale silvery light of the night, his auburn hair seemed dimmer and had taken on a silvery sheen and without warning the thought of Ron as an angel sprung to her mind. In many ways he was one to her, she mused a slight smile forming at the corner of her mouth. He was her heart and soul all wrapped up in one neat package, he was the glue that kept her together every single day in this crazy world and she thanked him endlessly for it. He and Harry gave her what little normalcy they could have and helped stave off the nightmares and horrors they experienced. She could still remember the day when she first realised she was in love with him, the day everything changed. She clung to this memory, never forgetting his sweet scent as she danced in his arms, his soft whisperings in her ear of words that carried so much more meaning after all they had gone through. Oh how she remembered the smiles and laughter, the carefree nature of the world back then. But forever she would remember Ron at that instant. He was her knight in armour and like he promised her that night, he was the one she could lean on.

Hermione laughed, her voice filled with mirth as she watched her best friend Harry blush furiously under the gentle gaze of Ginny Weasley. She continued to hold her hand out to him, willing him to take his in hers. Harry stuttered some more, before smiling a nervous yet excited beam back at her and took her hand, leading her out onto the middle of the Hall, to where couples had already begun to dance to a slow song. Hermione smiled one last indulgent smile at the blushing couple and turned back to their table, sitting down on an empty chair. Her hand ran out to the centrefold of the table, beautiful white lilies elegantly arranged into a magnificent piece, when a familiar voice stirred her thoughts.

"_Would you dance if I asked you to dance?" Ron's strong voice cut through her reverie, causing Hermione to snap her attention round to where he was towering next to her. She smiled a wide smile at him and looked from his waiting hand, to the slight blush that was creeping up his rosy cheeks._

"_I would love to", Hermione replied, standing up and allowing Ron to take her hand in his. He silently led her out onto the dance floor and gave her one last warm smile, before wrapping a hand around her waist and pulling her closer. She suddenly felt nervous being in such close proximity to Ron, fully aware of the nearness of his body and how much she was pressed up against him, yet she did not move. She became self-conscious about her appearance and her dancing, tripping lightly over steps she knew for years. She always became such a blundering fool in front of Ron, and with him so close to her, she was nervous of becoming worse than ever. Determined not to look at Ron and show him how much he was affecting her, she glanced at the dancing couples over his shoulder, taking a sudden interest in Parvati and Dean dancing. _

"_Hermione are you okay?" he asked worried, his soft breath tickling her neck from their closeness._

_She did not look up at him and continued watching the crowd, eventually answering with a, "Yes I'm fine"._

"_No you're not", Ron replied gently, pausing before using the hand that was holding her waist to gently cup her chin up and forcing Hermione to look Ron in the eyes. "You're acting nervous around me. You must know how much I care for you and how much I like you"._

"_I-" Hermione stammered, looking into his bright blue orbs at a loss for what to say. She just gazed into his mesmerizing eyes too caught in the moment to reply. She glanced away and added, "I didn't mean to"._

"_Didn't mean to what?" Ron asked, his brow crinkling in confusion._

"_Be nervous", Hermione replied quietly, not looking up._

"_If I kissed you. Would you run and never look back?" Ron asked, his voice level, and his gaze turned to Harry and his sister._

"_What?" Hermione asked startled, her head flying up to meet Ron's blue eyes. She feared he was joking, kidding with her emotions and her feelings, afraid he might be lying yet also afraid he was telling the truth._

"_Would you?" he pressed, his gaze penetrating and causing Hermione's mouth to open with shock and surprise. She read only love in his eyes and it startled her. Before she could even muster up an answer, he lent in closer to her and captured her lips in a soft and gentle kiss. Hermione's eyes slid closed of their own accord as Ron kissed her and before she even managed to get over the shock and enjoy the kiss he had pulled away. A slow and dizzy smile spread across her features as Hermione slowly opened her eyes to see Ron watching her with fascination._

"_No", she whispered smiling up at him, her eyes brimming with hope and happiness. "I never would!" She gave him one last magnificent smile before she leant towards him again and they kissed. This time both were prepared, though they weren't prepared for the electrifying experience of something they had been secretly yearning for the last five years. Ron's arms wrapped around her back again, pulling her closer to him while her own intertwined with his gleaming auburn hair. They pulled away again a few minutes later, both breathless and grinning madly like Cheshire cats. _

"_I love you Hermione!" Ron blurted out, still gazing intently down at her. Startled by his words she looked up at him with wide eyes and when she saw the sincerity in his own she smiled and leaned her head against his chest, whispering:_

"_I know. I love you too!"_

_Ron grinned madly, placing his own head on top of hers, silently murmuring under his breath, "Would you cry if you saw me crying. Would you save my soul tonight?" He knew for him, Hermione would._

"Ron are you okay?" she whispered over at him, still sitting to her right, caught in his own thoughts and dreams. He stirred quickly and glanced over at her, at first his eyes filled with fear, but when he saw she was okay, they softened and he smiled a warm smile at her.

"I'm okay 'Mione!" Hermione smiled a tight smile herself. She had lost the ability to smile so warmly like Ron could a long time ago. She instead silently crept closer to Ron, making sure she was still crouched in the ditch.

"I'm scared Ron!" she spoke quietly, her body trembling lightly with all the suppressed emotions she had been restraining for the last few months.

"Don't be, 'Mione", Ron whispering in reply, wrapping a strong arm around her frail body and pulling her closer to him. Hermione dropped her head onto his shoulder, the tears she had been curbing, falling for the first time in weeks.

"I can't help it. I'm scared of what's about to happen. I could lose Harry. I could lose you!" The last she spoke quieter, more to herself, hoping he would not hear and worry more.

"Hermione listen to me", Ron spoke evenly, lifting her chin with his hand, much like he had done that fateful night of the Ball. "I love you and we are going to make it through this alive, no matter what. I need you to be strong for me right now". Hermione tried to stem the trickle of hot tears that ran down her cheeks and nodded her head.

"I will I just need you to hold me right now", she whispered through the tears and Ron pressed her closer to him, planting a reassuring kiss on her forehead, holding the shaking form of his girlfriend.

_"Would you tremble if I touched your lips?" Ron spoke softly, his hands still wrapped around Hermione protectively. She in turn let out a soft laugh that reverberated through him._

_"Would you laugh oh please tell me this?" he continued on and Hermione looked up into his beaming eyes, a true smile gracing her soft features. She lightly shook her head and kissed him chastely on the lips. _

"_No I wouldn't Ron", she replied simply and he beamed down at her._

"_Now would you die for the one you love?" he asked, his tone suddenly serious and Hermione knew what he was talking about. He was talking about the oncoming war they were facing. She knew he needed reassurance of what they were and she knew that even though he didn't often show her his feeling, he was as scared as she was. She wrapped her arms tighter around him and buried her head in his chest, closing her eyes from the world._

"_Yes", she said into his robes, knowing he had heard her and understood. _

"_Hold me in your arms tonight", he had replied simply and they slowly danced with each other, each not letting go of the other as they clung to each other for safety and warmth._

They sat in silence in the ditch, not caring anymore for what was about to happen. Hermione was too lost in her own thoughts of happier times and Ron was protectively holding onto her, wishing with all his might she did not have to go through all this. He wished he could have sent her away, but that could never be possible with Hermione Granger as your girlfriend. They sat there crouched in the darkness, hiding in a ditch, waiting for the final battle to begin. Life had changed so dramatically since their fifth year. So many people had been lost, names flashed through Ron's mind. They were too young to have to experience such things, to watch classmates and friends, mentors and family die before their eyes. Sometimes it all became too much and Ron wished with all his might he could retrieve his childhood innocence, but it was lost with all those lives that were gone. All he had left was Hermione and Harry.

"'Mione?" Ron spoke quietly, giving her shoulders a light shake to catch her attention. She mumbled something in coherently in reply and Ron knew he had her attention.

"Do you remember that night of the Ball, the night I first told you I loved you?" he continued on, gazing up at the misty night sky, tiny pin-pricks that were the stars shining weakly through the blanket of mist. She smiled into his chest and nodded her head in agreement. "Do you remember what I said to you that night, about letting me be your hero?" His voice shook slightly with those words and Hermione raised her head and gazed into his eyes.

"Yes", she smiled faintly, the sweet memory returning.

"It still stands you know", he grinned widely at her.

"I know!"

_They had been silently dancing with each other, too caught in the moment of being with each other, unaware of others around them or the curious glances they were receiving from Harry and Ginny and many other Gryffindors for that matter. Everyone had been waiting for those two to finally open their eyes and when they finally had, it was a joyous sight to see._

_"The war is really coming isn't it?" Hermione spoke weakly, not lifting her head from Ron's chest._

"_Yeah I guess it is", Ron mumbled in reply, his brow creasing with worry. He did not want to enter it, but retreat was not an option especially when so many lives depending on them fighting against You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters. They had to stand and fight. _

"_I'm scared", she whispered silently, lowering her head further and sighing silently. She raised her head and looked into Ron's eyes, her own filling with fear and sorrow. "I can't do it. What if I lose you and Harry?"_

"_Hermione", Ron spoke her voice so full of kindness and gentleness that she always associated with him. "Let me be strong for you. I can be your hero baby", he added, smiling a slight cocky grin at her. She titter of laughter, caused Ron to grin even wider. "I can kiss away the pain", he added, leaning down and kissing away the stray tear that had rolled down her cheek. "I will stand by you forever. You can take my breath away", he whispered to her, and her eyes were huge. She smiled at him gratefully and kissed him. It was the only answer she could give him to show him how she felt._

_They pulled away from the kiss, both grinning madly and slightly dizzy from the intoxicating feeling of being so close to each other and having their feelings reciprocated. A fast song had begun and they had not even realised. Hermione raised her head and listened to the tune, smiling brightly. It was a favourite of hers. Ron had a grin to match on his face and he pulled Hermione's hands gently away from his neck, taking one gentle hand in his and wrapping the other around his back. He held her closely to him and they began dancing to the tune. Ron, a true trooper, swung her elegantly around him, causing peals of laughter to erupt from his dance partner. They pirouetted and glided across the dance floor. Ron would alternate between spinning her elegantly in front of him and drawing her back into his warm and embracing arms._

"_Would you swear that you'll always be mine?" he whispered into her ear in between turns and them spun her elegantly once more. They danced quietly with each other for a minute._

"_Of course I would Ron", she replied, chuckling lightly._

""_Would you lie, would you run away?" His gaze was steadfast and earnest and Hermione knew he was being serious._

"_No", she replied simply and spun away from him again. Ron pulled her close to his side and continued._

""_Am I in too deep?"_

"_Have I lost my mind?" she countered but smiled up at him._

"_I don't care you're here tonight", Ron replied and wrapped his arms around her waist._

"_Yes I am Ron", she smiled and leant into him. This was the most perfect moment for her and she was so glad Ron was here to share it with her. They danced like this much throughout the night, too caught up in each other to notice others or to care. For one night the on-coming war didn't matter, neither did all the bad things that were happening in the world around them. For one night love triumphed and it was with Ron and Hermione._

Above their heads in the misty night-time air, a shower of red sparks were issued, illuminating the sky like a magical flare for a few seconds, before disappearing once more. The sight was truly beautiful on such a tension-filled night. Hermione gazed up at the sky, her mouth slightly open, heart beating faster. That was the first signal, now all they had to do was wait for the second one. She began trembling slightly at the thought of what they were about to do, suddenly realising how young and inexperienced she was. At just eighteen she was about to take part in the final battle of the Second War and she was scared to bits. Ron sensed her fear, or maybe he just realised the girl in his arms was trembling slightly, so he pulled her closer and held her protectively to him, muttering sweet words of nothing into her ear. Hermione barely recognised the words, she was too caught in her own world where her fear was magnified and her friends were dead. She let out a quiet whimper and Ron stroked her back.

"Hermione?" he called out, hoping he could catch her attention and indeed he did, for she pulled up her head and looked up at him with fearful eyes. He kissed her ever so gently on the lips and whispered, "I just want to hold you".

Hermione smiled a faint smile at the memory of the Ball, where he had whispered the same words to her.

"Am I in too deep?

"Have I lost my mind?" His breath tickled her ear and she slowly smiled a faint smile at the thought. Maybe they had both lost their minds on that fateful night, but it felt right and that was all that counted.

"Well I don't care you're here tonight" Hermione gazed up at Ron, her eyes filled with love and hope. He always was able to bring out the best in her and she loved him so much for that.

"I love you Ron", she whispered gently.

"I love you too 'Mione", Ron smiled at her and then bent down to capture her lips in a soft and gentle kiss, filled with love and promises and mostly hope. They broke apart with the release of green sparks into the night sky, the second signal. Hermione didn't even need to look up to see them, the green beams were reflected in Ron's azure eyes. Her heart leaped into her throat, jamming harshly against her ribcage as both her and Ron looked at each other one last time before pulling out their wands.

It felt like a slow motion capture for Hermione. She gazed over to see Harry and the rest of the Order jump up from their hiding places and bound over the ditch. To the right of her Ron had leaped up as well, holding out a hand for Hermione. With lightning quick reflexes Hermione never knew she possessed, she took his hand and hoisted herself up. Still holding tightly each other's hands they made their own way over the ditch. With Ron's impressive height, he was the first to see the battle unfold in front of his eyes on the darkened battlefield. Hermione scrambled up after him, one hand grabbing what she could to hoist herself up, while the other clung to Ron's hand. When she reached the top, they caught each others eyes and Hermione gave him one last smile. It spoke of hope for the future and with that, with wands held in out front of them, they charged into the battlefield. The night sky was lit up with the flashing of red and green curses and through the blinding bursts of light and hazy mist, the young couple ran into the darkened crowd to face their fate and their doom. Neither of them knew whether they would survive the fight or perish, but that didn't matter. They loved each other and that was all that counted.

The shadowy figures of the two opposing sides were all that could be made out in the gloom and through the mist two sets of green flashes of light soared through the misty air and even through the noise and screams from the battlefield, the dull thud of two bodies collapsing to the ground could be heard.

_Ron and Hermione hadn't realised that the night had passed them by. Students all around them were getting up from their chairs and leaving the Great Hall, yet the young couple still clung to each other, wanting too desperately to cling to the moment. They danced on in the now empty Great Hall, without any music or bright lights, just enjoying the sensation of being with each other._

_"You can take my breath away", Ron whispered in her ear, his lips lingering on the spot and Hermione smiled happily into his robes. At that moment she felt truly at peace with the world and she had Ron to thank for that. Nothing in the world at this moment could go wrong._

"_I can be your hero"…_


End file.
